Fedex truck showed up today - Deep content...

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11 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 1, 2012Washington, DC,
United States

This is something different for me. Normally I much prefer very simple watches with less-is-more interfaces and void of unnecessary complications. But this watch has been on my mind ever since I laid eyes on at at a special event in Tysons Corner, VA in 1999 when Curt Klaus was doing a tour of North America. I got to speak with the "Genius of Schaffhausen", inspect his Da Vinci master piece but the models that really made an impact on me were the new titanium GST line, especially the (3536) Aquatimer and the (3527) Deep One. The latter had a MSRP of over $10,000 if I remember correctly so that wasn't an option for a newly wed young man like myself.

The Deep One has stayed on my radar screen over the years, but when it comes up for sale it is usually in a collector's package - to a collector's price - and completely unused. I want a watch that I can wear and enjoy - life is too short for museum pieces IMO.

So finally I found one some time ago that made sense. It has been used, owned by a collector, worn on rotation but is in +95% shape. Today it arrived! :-)

The watch incorporates a mechanical depth gauge, a first in its kind for a wrist watch (today there is also one from JLC as well as Panerai), which displays dive depth up to 45mm via two separate arrows: one for max depth, one for current depth. Other features include internal unidirectional rotating ring; small second hand at 6 o'clock; date function at 3 o'clock; overall waterproofness to 100 meters. Beautiful slightly convex crystal.

The GST Deeep One was very costly and complex to manufacture, also expensive and complicated to service as it required specially trained IWC technician, so to that end, manufacturing stopped after 2-3 years. How many watches were produced and sold remains unclear, but from my research I heard anything from 500 to top 1,000 watches.

It is way too early see make any comments about how it is living with the watch, but it is already on my wrist and wears very comfortably. The use of (matte) titanium makes it fly under the radar while the application of yellow makes it very functional and sporty; and the three crows adds to overall very masculine impression. I fully know that the design and interface is not pleasing to everyone, but I find it to be a very cool and unique.

The big upside is that it is a watch that one can wear comfortably to the office as well as around the house. As I stated, the Deep One has more complications and a busier interface than other watches I looked at like Audemars Piguet ROO Diver, Panerai 372 etc but the uniqueness and historical importance of this reference made it win out for this acquisition round. In the many years of being into watches I have never come across one of these in the wild. Nor do I suspect that anyone I meet will have any preconceived notions of what kind of watch I'm wearing. Both are big pluses in my book (while certainly not being the ultimate determining factors).

So there it is. My new, what I expect to be, daily driver. I also have the option of wearing it on a IWC rubber strap with a titanium tang buckle or a velcro strap. More on that another time.

11 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 1, 2012Washington, DC,
United States

Thanks guys, I've been lurking long enough here (some older user name I forgot the log in for). I was in between a Big Pilot and this, but I figured I have a longer history with this model and it is more unique. I did have a Aquatimer 3536 a while back as well. Glad to be contributing. Cheers!

11 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 1, 2012Washington, DC,
United States

cinq Wrote:I just took a better look at your second and third picture, they are really great! Did you do some post-processing to keep everything except the dial in black-and-white?

Kind regards,

Clemens

These are just some quick snaps with my point-and-shoot Canon S95, imported in Lightroom 4 with some quick and trivial adjustments. The first one was right when the box arrived off the truck, the one of the stove was after I figured out how to reset the depth gauge! :-)

Awesome Watch! Only to increase in value in years to come... The type that can raise eyebrows at the likes of Sotheby's... Richard Habring should be ever so proud!

I'm envious you found a seller. Total grail watch besides the GST Perpetual Calendar in Titanium.

IWC should definitely bring back the GST collection with it's ingenious bracelet system that is just so comfortable to wear and adjust. It's the one collection where IWC's teutonic/germanic roots are truly exemplified. Enough with all the straps! Bracelet watches offer much greater value for money in the long-run...